The Portland daily press., 1887-07-15
BIRDS IN THEIR NESTS.
How Collections of Native Birds Were
Obtained for Central Park.


New York Tribune.l
In the exhibit of the Museum of Natural
History this summer are eighteen groups of
birds which make their homes some portion
OF the year in the city or within fifty miles
OF New York. Some of them are to be found
in Central Park. Others were taken ON the
hills or along the coast of Long Island most
of them from Westchester County, but sever
al OF the rarer groups are only to be found
in the marshes and deeper woods of New
Jersey. The most interesting feature of
these groups is that they do not simply rep
resent stuffed birds under a glass case, but
in each instance the bird is preserved in
Lille like attitude, and its nest, eggs or young
birds, and the tree or moss amid which its
home was made are reproduced. In examin-
ing them one has before him not picture
but scrap of nature itself In one instance.
that of the field sparrow the birds have
built their home on bog in the long grass
by the side of running stream. A part of
the bog was brought away bodily, and with
it the imprint of a cows hoof close beside
the nest, which the animal narrowly missed'
crushing when she came down to the stream
to drink
These eighteen groups of birds are said to
be the first that have been prepared in the
manner described for any museum in this
country. In one of the English museums
Morris K. Jessup, President of the museum.
saw large collection of them a few years
ago. Mrs. Robert l.. Stuart, whom he told
about them was so pleased with the idea
that she desired to have a collection made of
the birds in this neighborhood. The work of
securing the BIRDS ana preparing, them was
done by JeaEness Richardson, the natural
ist, who has charge of the laboratory of the
museum The foliage which looks so real is
reproduced from the natural specimens by
Mrs. Z. ). Mogridge, who was connected
with the Kensington Museum in England,
but is now engaged by the museum here, Mr..
Richardson is an enthusiast in his wefk He
knows no keener enjoyment than in search
ing out the home of some rare species to add
TO his collection. During thesummer his va
cation will be taken up in search for ten
more groups to add to the museum collec-
ton.
Hunting for specimens" Mr.. Richardson
said with sparkle in his eye, lis the rarest
sport know Of Especially when the spec
linens are the smallest of all birds, and It is
particular species Of them that you want.
1 hrst thought 1t would seem quite impossi-
PIE 70 trace the humming birds you see flash
ing about the honeysuckle home to their
nests. They buzz and flash like meteor.
ana they are gone Then there are half
eraI observer all look alike, but here are Sew
eral varieties in the groups / have collected.
and when you look at them closely you will
see that there is wide difference OF course
you don't often get chance to approach so
fields. The habits of the several species are
Just as unlike as their appearance. One va
rlety always makes its nest near the water
en- the ground, and another always under
some oyerhanging bank or in the roots of an
old tree.
''Do you see this pair with the nest under
the bank? That is q Louisiana water thrush.
IL is rather rare bird in this section, but
few OF them get up here along the coast every
year: In the winter they go down into the
west Indies, Southern Mexico and Central
America. They are beautiful singers, but
are not often heard, because their homes are
always deep in the woodland thlckets.
where they are not often intruded on by hui
man beings. l came on this male quite by
week before found the nest and secured
both the birds. was looking for another
kind Of bird, the red breasted grosbeak,
that is a powerful singer up in the new
parks pa Of Westchester, when heard male
thrush singing. caught glimpse of him
and recognized what he was. followed him
some distance, and then lost him for the
day. The next day 1 found him again
and traced him down to little stream,
but could get no further cew to |
lunch and sat down on the bank, |
and watched the little fellow. could have |
shot him at any time, but that would have |
done no good, as wanted the nest He |
seemed to know il, and would alight on a
with all his might and then dart away out Of |
sight How did get him? Why. at last /
examined the bank, and right under the very
spot where had been eating my luncheon
was the nest hidden away. The female was
sitting on it with the four white eggs spotted
with brown, as you see. 1t was easy to take
the birds though | felt it pity to do SO. /
cut out piece of the bank, and there il is.
the genuine Weschester soil that you see
"Did you use shotgun to secure the
birds? ?"
"Yes, with the smallest kind of shot, hard
ly larger than mustard seed, and light
charge Of powder. The small birds like the
phebes or the wrens would be torn to pieces
by larger shot. When cannot carry away
the surroundings of the nest photograph
them and take notes for their reproduction
In the laboratory. 1t is quite easy to get the
branch OF an apple tree or a dogwood on
which Mrs. Mogridge has made such life
IKE blossoms. The robins, too, were easy to
get, Those cardinals l found in Central
Park and got permit to take Ethem. They |
are very shy. A pair of them escaped in the
park four or five years ago andlthey remain
there summer and winter. There are about |
a dozen pairs of them now. That little fell |
low is the oven-bird, so called from its dome- |
shaped nest built on the ground, rooted over
and with entrance on one side. That little |
fellow singing to his mate is the Politician |
L found him up near Hartsdale, Westchester. |
and there was piece of the Tribune in his |
nest. He gets his name from his habit of |
picking up bits of newspaper to weave in |
his nest: In the winter he goes down to the |
gulf as far as Guatemala The largest birds |
in the group are the clapper rails. |
2 kind Of snipe. / found them in |
the course of a hunt down on Long |
Island for the seaside sparrow. You see |
now these rails make their nests of eel grass |
and reeds. The nests are only found out in |
The dense salt marshes. The birds have little |
Indian trails to the nests through the tall |
grass, but it is difficult to find them. They |
lay as many as twelve creamy buff eggs. |
Their harsh Gathering notes give them their /
name, and they live in the marshes summer
and winter.
These groups Of birds are to be on exhibit |
lion all summer, and the number will be in |
creased as fresh additions are secured Prof |
Bickmore, in referring to them recently, said |
mat he regarded them as the most valuable |
adjuncts to the study of this branch of |
natural history that the museum has secured |
for several years"